Quarantine
by bellybilbil
Summary: They thought the problem was solved. The culprit was captured, but not before she could claim her first victim. Now, they were racing against time to find a cure and save the life of one Caroline Forbes. Looks like the problem is far from being over AU. Klaroline. All human. One shot


Quarantine

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries.

Author's Notes: Another AU story where they're all human :)

o-o-o-o-o

She looked fragile.

She looked innocent.

Klaus Mikaelson sighed sadly for the woman locked up in a cold room with only a one-way mirror that didn't help her situation any.

He watched her through that very same mirror, followed her every move as she screamed for help and tried to find a way out. In all truth, she was the victim in this scenario. But she was being treated like she wasn't. She was a victim – the first and last victim of an easily spoiled bioterrorist threat. The mastermind had been captured and sent to the filthiest of prisons before he could fully launch the virus but not before she injected the virus she produced to a random woman she could find; the random woman being the girl he was now watching.

He used to think things like this only existed in Resident Evil.

"What are we going to do now?"

His brother's face was grim as he spoke. "We're going to keep her isolated here. We'll run some tests and see if something works. If nothing does, then we have to…"

"Kill her?" Klaus finished for the older man, exchanging a look with the third and last person in the viewing room. "That's crazy."

"We have to make sure that the virus doesn't spread." The eldest of the three scientists answered pointedly. "If we have to kill her, so be it."

"There's probably something we can do." He protested, glancing at the woman now sobbing in isolation. "If that bitch can create a virus like this, then we sure as hell can create a cure."

"I really hope you're right, Niklaus… I really, really hope so."

o-o-o-o-o

Her name was Caroline Forbes.

Klaus had spent a significant amount of time knowing every information about her that was available to him. He wasn't going to let her be a nameless victim, a nameless test subject. Infected with the deadly virus as she was, she was still a young woman – a young woman that once had a peaceful and beautiful life with her family and friends. He wasn't going to take that from her.

She came from a family of three, obviously being the only child her parents ever had. Her grades showed that she was always at the top of her class. Her teachers had the best praises for her and she received every award at school. Klaus sighed, tossing his reading glasses and the portfolio on the table. He had gone through day after day of extensive research for anything that can cure her and with every day they came up empty handed, the more Caroline Forbes was losing her sanity… the more the virus gained more control over her.

"Klaus."

He looked up, finding Stefan Salvatore standing by the door of his office. "Any luck?"

The younger man shook his head. "We failed again. The other scientists wanted to give it another go but Caroline couldn't take it anymore."

"That psychopath is supposed to be the one suffering… not her." The curly haired man sighed. "What kind of person would create a virus that would turn people into zombie-like carriers of a deadly virus?"

"You said it yourself; Katerina Petrova's a psychopath." Stefan plopped himself on the nearest seat he could find. "It's all fucked up when you think about it… The carrier who's supposed to transmit the virus to other will eventually be killed by the same thing."

"How much time do you think we have, Stefan?"

"Not much." He answered truthfully. "We're doing our best to boost her immune system but we don't know how long that'll last."

Klaus fell silent, flipping the portfolio on the table open and he was soon staring at the picture of the beautiful, tall, slim woman known as Caroline Forbes.

He wondered if he would ever see her smile like that.

o-o-o-o-o

Klaus was alone in the viewing room, watching as she sat on the far corner and stared absently ahead of her. She had given up sobbing, screaming and trying to escape. She knew what she was. She knew what was in her. Caroline was much thinner now and it surprised him. He didn't know it was possible for such a slim girl to loose anymore weight. The medications and tests she was forced to go through each day robbed her of her appetite and there she was, living like a wandering soul.

Klaus frowned. He was sure the cure was out there. He just hoped that they could figure out before they lose her.

His attention shifted away from the window, falling into a staff-member with a tray of food in his hands. Klaus checked his watch. It was indeed time for dinner. The thought made him grimace, knowing that she wouldn't probably eat again. It didn't help that no one coaxed her enough. Striding over to the staff member, Klaus held out his hand.

"I'll take it to her."

The younger, clearly more inexperienced man – his ID declared him as Matt Donovan – blanched. "Sir, I was given strict orders to be the only one to bring her food."

"I'm the second in command here. Are you going against me?" Klaus arched a challenging eyebrow.

"N-No, sir. Of course not. I'm sorry, sir." He stammered, handing the tray of food to Klaus soon after; a pleading look in his eyes. "Sir, please don't tell Doctor Elijah. I don't want to get fired."

"You're secret's safe with me." A smirk made its way to his lips.

Caroline cautiously turned her attention to the lone door in the room; an honest look of surprise crossing her face when she realize it was someone new – someone who didn't wear a face mask and gloves like that guy who usually brought her food. "W-Who are you?"

Even if her voice was so raspy, he could tell that it was once beautiful to hear. "I'm… a friend."

"W-Why aren't you dressed like them?" She asked; her eyes conveying her lack of trust. "You're going to end up like me."

"The virus transfers through saliva… unless you kiss me, I'm safe." Despite the situation, the young scientist still found it in himself to smirk. He walked over to her, noting that she instinctively moved away and set the tray on the floor nearest her feet. "You have to eat, Caroline."

"You know my name?" Again, there was that genuine surprise.

"Of course." He grinned. "I'm your friend, remember?"

Caroline regarded him warily; the two locked in a silent battle of wills. Despite what she was going through, Klaus could tell that she was one strong-willed, stubborn lady. He could only hope that they would find a solution before she became anything but that. A sigh escaped her lips as she finally crawled to the tray, taking the glass of orange juice and nearly draining half of its contents in one gulp.

"Good girl." Klaus praised.

She scowled. "Do I look like a baby to you?"

The blonde haired man chuckled as his mind finally discovered a word that he would probably often associate with her – defiance. "No, you're not."

"What's your name?" Caroline suddenly asked. "If you're claiming that you're my friend amidst all this… craziness, at least you can tell me that. You owe me that at least."

Klaus realized what she was doing – assessing if she really could trust him. "My name is Klaus. Klaus Mikaelson."

o-o-o-o-o

Elijah clearly wasn't happy that Klaus decided to do what he did without telling him first.

But after everyone saw the improvement in Caroline's demeanor, they finally conceded that maybe what Klaus did was right. There was no denying that Caroline trusted him now and he probably was the only one she trusted at all. The woman needed a reason to believe that she had to fight and that she would be okay and it became apparent to many that that reason happened to be Klaus. She coped with the tests and medications better and she ate more and everyone knew that they had Klaus to thank for that.

With a smile on his face, he strode into the viewing room with a tray of food that Caroline told him she liked most. Well, there really wasn't anything that she didn't like but Klaus had made sure he brought all her favorites, provided that they didn't interfere with her medication. Klaus smiled widely as he took an inventory of the food in the tray, making sure he didn't miss anything when a loud, piercing scream reached his ears.

Placing the tray on the nearest table he could find, he rushed to the window, finding Elijah and Stefan standing there. His eyes widened as he watched Caroline writhing in pain on the floor; tears leaking out of her eyes as she screamed out loud once again. She could barely breathe and even then, her body twisted in painful, awkward ways as the pain worsened, becoming more and more unbearable.

"What are we going to do?" He turned wide, alarmed eyes at his brother and the younger scientist with him. "Elijah!"

"There's nothing we can do for now, brother." Elijah let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The best we could do is sedate her and continue finding that cure."

"KLAUS!"

The heart-wrenching scream pierced Klaus's heart; everyone falling silent as team went on and sedated Caroline. Slowly, she calmed down and Klaus knew her weak body was losing its fight against the forced sleepiness coursing through her body. Tears still leaked from her eyes as she reached a hand out towards the window, wordlessly begging for help. Klaus pressed his hand on the glass. He knew that she knew he was there.

"Klaus…."

"I'm here. I'm right here, love."

"Where are you?"

And as Caroline drifted to sleep; a lone tear slipped down Klaus's face for the first time in a very long time.

o-o-o-o-o

Day after day, week after week, Klaus threw himself to intensive research. Caroline's tears and screams haunted him every day and it fuelled him even when he thought he couldn't go on any further. He worked almost twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and it became his excuse not to see Caroline. It was better that way. He couldn't bear seeing her suffer. A part of him wondered if he did right thing, befriending her the way he did. It just complicated everything more.

"She's calling out for you again." Stefan informed him softly when he found the older man in the lab.

"I don't have time."

"That's a huge load of bullshit and you know it." He shook his head. "She's barely holding on, Klaus. What you're doing isn't helping her."

"What I'm doing is for her." Klaus countered easily.

"I don't know what's hurting her more – the virus or you." Stefan turned around, ready to leave. "Just something you should think of."

It was two thirty six in the morning when Klaus finally mustered the courage to visit her. He stood in the viewing room, watching her sleep. He found some sort of comfort as he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest; a reassurance that she was alive and fighting. Stefan's words had parked themselves in his mind long after his friend had left him alone and Klaus knew that he was right – he was hurting Caroline too, just like the virus and all the medication. Klaus sighed, wondering why everything was so fucked up like this.

The sound of soft whimpers snapped him out of his thoughts and he focused yet again on Caroline. She was twisting and turning in her sleep and soon, the whimpers turned into screams of agony. He wanted to run away again, faced by his fear of seeing her in so much pain but he fought with himself to stay put. With a stiff nod to the guard on duty, the door was opened for him and he nearly tripped on his own two feet in his haste to reach her side.

Carefully gathering the struggling woman in his arms, he gently rocked her from side to side; a soothing melody soon leaving his lips. He could feel her pain like it was his own as she thrashed against him and he couldn't help but ask silently why fate allowed her to suffer like this. She didn't deserve it. No one deserved it. Why was life so harsh, so painful? Why her? Why did her path have to cross with Katerina Petrova's

"Klaus…" Her breathing was ragged but her body had sufficiently calmed down. "You're here."

"I'm so sorry." He whispered brokenly. "I'm so, so sorry."

"I think I'm dying." Caroline pressed his cheek against the soft material of his shirt. "I can feel it."

"No… No…" And this time around, it was Klaus who sobbed.

o-o-o-o-o

Klaus regarded his brother warily; a part of him wondering why he had been called into his office. He was so absorbed in spending time researching and being with Caroline and he didn't like it when anything disrupted his schedule of sorts. But he was told that it was important and was asked to come as soon as possible. He wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing but he wanted to find out.

"We might have found the cure for Ms. Forbes." Elijah said without preamble. "A team of scientists and doctors from Russia had come up with it and offered to help."

Klaus knew there was something more. "But?"

"It's a 70/30 chance, Klaus."

"That's fucking insane." He hissed. "We'll try again."

"You know that we don't have time anymore." Elijah said evenly. "She doesn't have much time."

Klaus hated knowing that he was right.

o-o-o-o-o

"How big is the chance?" Caroline asked as soon as Klaus told her about the risky solution.

"It's a 70/30 chance." He replied grimly.

The blonde nodded slowly. "So there's a big chance that I'm not going to make it."

"Don't say that." Klaus bit out harshly. "You aren't going anywhere."

She said nothing in reply to that and they were left sitting in silence on the floor in the plain white room that had been her home for the past weeks. They had a deadline and they both knew that the 70/30 chance made things more complicated. But there they were, she still in her white hospital gown and he in a lab gown that covered his clothes, and for her, it was enough. It was more than enough for her.

"Promise me something, Klaus"

He turned his head to look at her. "What is it?"

A shy smile bloomed on her face. "Promise me you'll kiss me if I make it through."

There it was; the quiet admission of something he was certain he felt too.

"Live and I'll kiss you senseless. I promise."

o-o-o-o-o

Caroline had been transferred to a hospital bed not long after and with her hand firmly held in Klaus's, the possible cure was injected in her system. Klaus fought the alarm from overthrowing the calm and courageous demeanor he wanted to show for Caroline as she stiffened immediately in his touch before her eyes closed and she became so still. Klaus was vaguely aware of the supportive hand that Stefan had on his shoulder. His focus was only on Caroline, only on the woman he had come to love despite the circumstances.

All that was left to do was wait.

o-o-o-o-o

As the hours went by, Klaus did not like how things didn't seem to work in his favour. Her skin felt nearly cold, her face was pale and her breathing had turned shallow. He kept a vigil by her side, rarely leaving his seat as they all waited for the miracle to come. She was being monitored regularly and Klaus had to bite back all the expletives threatening to leave his mouth when he was told that there wasn't much improvement.

"What they're doing is not enough."

"Klaus, you know everyone went out on a limb for this cure." Stefan said patiently. "Hold on. She's depending on you."

"But if I lose her?" His real fear wasn't easy to admit. It became more real to him. "What if I don't get to see her smile like she did in that picture of hers, Stefan? What if I don't get to keep my promise?"

"She's going to fight, Klaus." He reassured him. "Never doubt that."

Klaus nodded weakly and he went back to staring blankly at the wall across him, absently massaging his thumb back and forth on the back of Caroline's hand. Stefan had sighed inaudibly, choosing to read the magazine he had been reading for the third time ever since he arrived in the hospital room. It went on that way for minutes, hours it seemed, until they heard a sudden sharp intake of breath.

Klaus was almost too afraid to look but he forced himself anyway.

Caroline, pale and tired and panting as she was, smiled like the way he remembered from the picture. He could feel her temperature soon returning to normal and he could see the color returning to her beautiful face. She smiled weakly at him, removing her hand in his grasp so that she could touch his face. A lone tear rolled down his face as their eyes remained locked and Klaus struggled to keep himself from calm.

"Are you going to kiss me senseless now?"

Stefan had chosen that moment to interrupt before anything could happen, gently reminding the two people glaring daggers at him that Caroline had to be totally cleared before any lips could lock together. That reminder had Klaus practically pushing Stefan out of the hospital room, demanding that Elijah and the rest of the team to be brought in as fast as he could. The team had arrived in record time and Klaus waited in agitation as the doctors ran their tests. He was told that it'd take an hour at least before the results came out and Klaus scowled heavily, calming slightly when he heard Caroline giggle softly from the bed. Maybe he could wait an hour or two longer.

"Congratulations, Klaus, Caroline. She's–"

Stefan could only roll his eyes, following after Elijah out of the room just as Klaus and Caroline's lips met.


End file.
